Wiring device with quick connect terminals



July 1, 1958 G. B. BENANDER 2,841,573

WIRING DEVICE WITH QUICK CONNECT TERMINALS Filed March 1, 1956 [/71/6/7for w 6 My 5P. mm 5 s a W United States Patent WIRING DEVICE WITH QUICKCONNECT TERMINALS George B. Benander, Oaklawn, R. I., assignor toGeneral Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application March 1,1956, Serial No. 568,853

Claims; (Cl. 200166) The present invention relates to electrical wiringdevices such as convenience outlets, switches, lamp sockets and thelike, and particularly to the means for anchoring the screwlessterminals firmly within these devices.

This invention is a modification of the screwless terminal means taughtin my Patent No. 2,705,785, which is assigned to the same assignee as isthe present invention. In my original concept of a quick connectterminal means for a bare lead wire, I mounted the terminal end of thecontact of the device rigidly against one side wall of the housing,while an adjacent wall is provided with a wire-receiving opening havingan edge in alignment with the terminal end of the contact. A springlocking tongue is seated on the wall containing the opening with thefree end of the tongue overlying one edge of the opening, with theopposite end of the tongue bearing against a partition that is arrangedsubstantially parallel with the terminal end of the contact. The saidopposite end of the locking tongue extends upwardly at a reentrant angleas a movable oifset arm, the end of which represents an anchoring stripthat is firmly held in the housing. This structure is substantially astaught in my original patent.

However, there are several possible modifications that may be used forsecuring the anchoring strip of the locking tongue in the housing. Thepresent invention relates to an improved anchoring means for the springlocking tongue of a wiring device that has proved very successful,especially in the design of slow make and break switches that are usableon alternating current only, where the switch housing is of minimum sizeleaving very little excess space within the device.

The principal object of this invention is to provide suitable mountingmeans for securing the anchoring strip of a spring locking tongue firmlywithin the housing of a wiring device.

A further object of this invention is to utilize an insulating platemember that is slideably arranged in opposed grooves in the side wall ofthe housing of a wiring device for firmly securing the anchoring stripof a spring locking tongue that serves as a screwless terminal means forthe device.

My invention will be betterunderstood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will bepointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a slow make and break switchembodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional, elevational view taken on the line 2-2 ofthe plan view of Figure 5.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional elevational view taken on theline 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the right-hand end of the switch base ofFigure 1 showing the details of the spring locking tongue and theinsulating plate member for anchoring the tongues in the housing.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the base of the switch show- 2,841,673Patented July 1, 1958 ing the wire-receiving openings in the bottom wallof the base for cooperation with the screwless terminals.

Referring in detail to the drawing, Figure 1 shows a slow make and breakswitch 10 comprising a recessed base 11 of suitable molded insulatingmaterial and a steel mounting strap 12 which serves as a cover to holdthe switch parts assembled within the hollow housing. A switch handle ortrigger 13 is provided with a pair of trunnions 14 that are seated inopen bearings 15 in the opposite side walls of the base 11 so that thetrigger may pivot on the trunnions for opening and closing the switchcontacts.

In Figure 2 are shown the contacts of a single pole switch. The fixedcontact 16 of strip material has its terminal portion 17 arrangedvertically against the side wall of the base. The movable contact 18 ofsimilar strip material has its terminal portion 19 arranged against theopposite side wall of the base. Each trunnion 14 has a downwardlyextending projection 20 for depressing the movable contact. Since I havechosen to illustrate my invention in combination with a single poleswitch, only one projection 20 is shown to actuate the single movablecontact 18 in Figure 2. Thus, when the trigger is moved to the left asshown in Figure 2, the contacts are opened, and they remain open .untilthe trigger is moved to the right to close the contacts. However, in athree-way switch there would be a movable contact and a projection 20 oneach side of the trigger.

A suitable detent action is provided for the switch trigger by means ofa coil spring 21 that is supported between a pair of open bearings 22arranged transversely of the base. The lower portion 23 of the trigger13 is formed as a thin plate-like cam of inverted W-shape forcooperation with the central unsupported portion of the coil spring 21.Hence, the spring 21 acts as a detent spring which must be deflecteddownwardly by the trigger as the trigger is moved to its oppositeposition. This feature of the detent mechanism of this switch does notform part of the present invention since it is being claimed in acopending application, Serial No. 568,735, which was filed concurrentlywith this application and assigned to the same assignee as is thisinvention.

The principal feature of my invention is the method of connecting barelead wires with the terminal ends of the contacts. In the bottom wall 25of the base wirereceiving openings 26 are formed, each having an edge inalignment with the terminal ends 17 and 19 of the contacts. Severalspring locking tongues 27 of strip material are seated within the base,each with a free end overlying one edge of the wire opening 26. Theopposite or reentrant end 28 of the tongue bears against a partition 29which includes at its top portion the open bearing 22 for one end of thecoil spring 21. The reentrant end of the locking tongue then extendsupwardly as a movable offset arm 30 which terminates in an anchoringstrip 31 that is firmly fixed within the base. An access opening 32 islikewise formed in the bottom wall 25 of the base near eachwire-receiving opening 26. This makes it possible to use a suitable toolsuch as a screwdriver or nail to deflect the spring locking tongue whenit is necessary to remove the wire from connection with the terminal endof the contacts.

The construction of the spring locking tongue as mentioned before isgenerally as taught by my Patent No.

I 2,705,785. However, the present invention is primarily concerned withthe method of securing the anchoring strips 31 of the locking tongues 27in the housing. Looking now at Figure 4, the locking tongues 27 areclearly shown with an upwardly curved lip 35 at its free edge while theopposite end 28 of the tongue is formed at a reentrant angle with amovable oiiset arm 30 that terminates in the anchoring strip 31. A smallnotch 36 is asarms formed in each side edge of the anchoring strip so asto reduce its width at that section. Also, the edge 37 of the anchoringstrip is turned upwardly for reasons which will become apparenthereinafter.

An insulating plate member at has its side edges supported in opposedgrooves 41 in the base 11 so that the plate may be slid down onto thetop of the'unsupported anchoring strip 31. A notch 4-2 is formed in thelower edge of the plate 40 for cooperation with the reduced section ofthe anchoring strip 31 of each locking tongue. The result is that aslight pivotal movement is permitted between the anchoring strip and theplate, although the anchoring strip is prevented from moving upwardly bythe fact that the plate 4% is stationary since its upper extension 43bears against the underside of the strap or cover 12 that ultimatelyholds all the parts in assembled relation in the housing. The notches 36in the anchoring strip are substantially the same width as the thicknessof the plate 40' so that the notch 42 in the lower edge of the platestraddles the reduced section of the anchoring strip. The upturned edge37 of the anchoring strip is sandwiched between one face of the plate 40and a complementary face of the terminal end of each contact in order tomake the best use of the limited space available.

Figure 4 shows a portion of the movable contact 18 while next to it isshown a portion of a through contact which merely consists of a similarterminal 45 at each end that are connected by a strap member 46. Thustwo Wires may be connected together by forcing them into the base of theswitch to be wedged into engagement with the terminal ends 45 of thethrough contact by means of the spring locking tongues 27. It isnecessary that the contacts of the switch be firmly held within thehousing. Hence, grooves 47 are formed in the base along the oppositeside walls as well as by the central partition 48 so that the terminalends l7, l9 and 45 of the contacting members may be slid down into thebase and held in place by the insulating plate 49. This plate 49 issupported in the same grooves as the contacting members and held down bythe strap or cover member 12.

Having explained my invention of a novel means for supporting theanchoring strip of a spring locking tongue in a wiring device, it shouldbe appreciated that other modifications may be made in the hold-downmeans such as eliminating the extension 43 on the plate member 40. Asecond example would be supporting a second plate member such as 49 inthe grooves &1 of the base to bear down against the contacts andlikewise hold the plate 40 firmly against the anchoring strips of thelocking tongue. r

Also, it should be appreciated that other switching means may beincorporated with the novel hold-down means of my invention as well asmodifications of a detent mechanism for holding the switch trigger inits extreme positions.

Modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in this artand it is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is notlimited to the particular embodiments disclosed but that it is intendedto cover all modifications which are within the true spirit and scope ofthis invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. A wiring device comprising a recessed base and a separable covermember, a contact supported in the base, the terminal end of the contactbeing rigidly supported against one side wall, an adjacent wall having awirereceiving opening with an edge in alignment with said terminal end,a spring locking tongue of strip material seated on the last-mentionedwall with a free end overlying the edge of the opening opposite theterminal of the contact, the opposite end of the locking tongue bearingagainst a partition within the base and formed at a reentrant angle witha movable offset arm that terminates in an unsupported anchoring strip;the invention comprising the means for securing the spring lockingtongue in the base including opposed grooves in the side walls of thehousing, an insulating plate member slideably arranged in the groovesand bearing down on the anchoring strip, the plate member beinginterengaged with the anchoring strip for holding the strip firmly inplace against upward forces and forces acting perpendicularly to theplane of the plate member.

2. A wiring device as recited. in claim 1 wherein the insulating platemember extends upwardly to engage the underside of the cover member sothat the cover member serves as a hold-down means.

3. A wiring device comprising a recessed base and a cover member, atleast one contact member supported in the base, the terminal end of thecontact being rigidly supported against one side wall, an adjacent wallhaving a wire-receiving opening with an edge in alignment with saidterminal end, a spring locking tongue of strip material seated on thelast-mentioned wall with a free end overlying an edge of the opening,the opposite end of the locking tongue bearing against a partition thatis generally parallel with the terminal end of the contact, while thesaid opposite end of the locking tongue is formed at a reentrant anglewith a movable offset arm that terminates in an unsupported anchoringstrip, a notch formed in each side of the anchoring strip so that thestrip has a portion of reduced width, opposed grooves in the side wallsof the base, and an insulating plate mem-' ber slideably arranged in thegrooves with a bottom edge that is notched to straddle the portion ofthe anchoring strip of reduced width for holding the strip firmly inplace.

4. A wiring device as recited in claim 3 wherein the insulating platemember extends upwardly to engage the underside of a cover member whichserves as a holddown means.

5. A wiring device as recited in claim 4 wherein the free end of theanchoring strip is formed upwardly and sandwiched between one face ofthe plate member and a complementary face of the terminal end of thecontact.

Cooper Aug. 8, 1950 Benander Apr. 5, 1955

